'Tonight Show' AND 'LATE NIGHT' HIT SEASON HIGHS AS THEY WIN THE WEEK OF DEC. 17-21

IN TOTAL VIEWERS, JAY LENO SCORES A 10-MONTH HIGH AND JIMMY FALLON DELIVERS HIS BIGGEST WEEKLY AUDIENCE IN NEARLY THREE YEARSEXCLUDING WEEKS OF MAJOR SPORTS OVERRUNS, JAY GENERATES HIS BIGGEST 18-49 AUDIENCE IN 10 MONTHS AND JIMMY HITS AN 18-MONTH HIGH

SEASON TO DATE, JAY HAS INCREASED HIS YEAR-AGO MARGINS OVER 'Late Show' IN VIEWERS 18-34, 18-49 AND 25-54 AND JIMMY EXTENDS HIS LEAD OVER 'LATE Late Show' IN 18-49

UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif. – December 31, 2012 – NBC’s “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno” and "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" have scored season highs in viewers 18-49 and total viewers during the week of December 17-21, with both show achieving 15-week highs in adult 18-49 viewers.

In total viewers, Jay generated his biggest overall audience in 10 months and Jimmy scored his top total-viewer result in nearly three years.

Ratings were boosted last week by the Tuesday, Dec. 18 primetime finale of "The Voice" and by an appearance on the Wednesday telecast of "Tonight" by "Voice" winner Cassadee Pope. Thursday's "Late Night" featured Billy Crystal, Tyson Chandler and musical guest Cee Lo Green, who sat in with The Roots, as well as an appearance by Jerry Seinfeld.

Jay's 1.264 million adults 18-49 viewers for the week is "Tonight's" highest since September 3-7 (1.340 million), the week of a major NFL overrun, and Jimmy's 776,000 adults 18-49 is also "Late Night's" highest since that same week (855,000). Excluding weeks of major sport overruns, it's the biggest 18-49 audience for "Tonight" in 10 months (since the week of February 6-10, 1.307 million) and biggest for "Late Night" in 18 months (June 20-24, 2011, 899,000).

In total viewers, Jay's 4.057 million persons is his highest average since the week of February 6-10 (4.075 million), the post-Super Bowl week, which featured the premiere of the prior "Voice" cycle, and Jimmy's 2.029 million is his biggest overall audience since the week of January 18-22, 2010 (2.162 million).

For the week, "Tonight" and "Late Night" beat the time-period competition on ABC and CBS in all key ratings categories: adults, men and women 18-34, 18-49 and 25-54, plus total viewers.

Season to date for the 2012-13 season, "Tonight" has stretched its leads versus one year ago over CBS's "Late Show" in viewers 18-34, 18-49 and 25-54. In viewers 18-49, "Tonight" has established a margin over "Late Show" of 13 percent (1.047 million vs. 925,000), eliminating last year's "Late Show" advantage of 1 percent. Jay has also generated a 25-54 advantage this season of 10 percent (1.331 million vs. 1.215 million) after trailing by 0.2 percent at this point last year, and has stretched his 18-34 lead to 18 percent (348,000 vs. 296,000), up from last year’s 15 percent.

Jimmy Fallon has established an 18 percent lead over "Late Late Show" this season in viewers 18-49 (671,000 vs. 570,000), up from 13 percent at this point last season.

"Tonight" delivered a bigger 18-49 audience than "Late Show" for the eighth time in the last nine weeks, while Jimmy Fallon has attracted a bigger 18-49 audience than "Late Late Show" for 11 weeks in a row.

WEEKLY AVERAGES

(According to in-home viewing figures from Nielsen Media Research for the week of December 17-21. Ratings reflect “live plus same day” data from Nielsen Media Research unless otherwise noted. Season-to-date figures are averages of “live plus seven day” data except for the two most recent weeks, which are “live plus same day.”)

ABC posted similar from what Kimmel said on their web page. the comments are very anti-Kimmel. Apparently bashing Jay Leno is old to people now. Desperate grasping at straws and I don’t think he will be first place in late night. If anything, he will be second. ABC’s prime time lineup isn’t exactly CBS either so he won’t have that to “boost” him.

Gary Middleton

The only way it will become a plus for Kimmel, in my view, is if Jay responds. I hope he is not dumb enough to do that.

Even the Rolling Stone article title is a compliment to Jay: “Cover Story Excerpt: Jimmy Kimmel Prepares For Battle With Jay Leno”

Diana Santiago

The problem with Jimmy Kimmel is that he hasn’t said anything new. Every other Leno critic has said exactly the same for years.

I read an excerpt from the Rolling Stone interview. I’m really disappointed. Kimmel is trying too hard to be cool, and he’s failing.

Douglas in TN

Well, is there anybody who honestly say that Jay Leno did not, and the extent is debatable, sell out to get and keep his gig at 11:30. Those of us who have been around long enough know that there is a BIG difference between Leno the stand up comic and Leno the host of the Tonight Show.

Yeah, I’m among those who think Leno’s show is often as bland as flat cola, and it’s deteriorating.

But Kimmel does himself no favors with this kind of nonsense. And although many of us miss the real Jay Leno, I cannot think of one instance where Leno used an interview or press opportunity to publicly trash or tear down a competitor. Behind the scenes he may not always be the nice guy he’s made out to be, but he’s never pulled the crap Kimmel is.

GARebelman

I doubt Jay will say anything. He doesn’t really have to advertise himself when people like Stern, Kimmel, and Letterman do it for him. I am at least thankful Conan has moved on.

Gary Middleton

GAR, it’s a mistake he makes rarely, but he has made it. Not for advertising, but because his writers handed him a decent joke and he believes jokes trump all else. But it’s no excuse. It always comes off looking weak. Fingers are crossed here.

fanspeed

year after year all i see on these boards is how awful Leno is and how great everyone else is. Funny that Leno keeps winning the ratings number if he is so awful. oh sorry I forgot according to you guys anyone who watches leno is not as smart as you guys.

Neal

Fanspeed, just saw Leno’s monologue tonight and he’s still the best! He sets up and delivers a joke better than anyone out there!

Douglas in TN

Neal. Mario…we have to respect for Leno. You may be the most diehard Leno fan I’ve ever seen.

Diana Santiago

Yes, Jay is not exempt of trashing his competition. I remember when he insinuated that Team Coco were terrorists. Awesome joke.

Neal

Douglas, I’m just telling the truth. Leno is funnier than the rest. Didn’t you see the article posted last week where even Dave admitted to Oprah that Jay is the funniest he’s EVER seen? And Dave must’ve seen thousands of comedians in his life!

GARebelman

Well Gary I didn’t hear him say anything. I had the volume down as I was doing something but Joy Behar or somebody brought up Letterman as I Had subtitles on and his name came across it but I Didn’t catch what was said.

Gary Middleton

That’s good, GAR, but we’ll see how it goes next week when Kimmel re-launches. btw, so far Dave’s only announced guest that night is Morrissey. Wonder if Dave sort of conceding the night to his protege.

Ann

The trouble with Kimmel is that he doesn’t realize most people find him unlikable and only occasionally funny IMO. Jay bashing right before his move seems like a desperate attempt for attention.

GARebelman

TMZ has Kimmel doing some more Jay bashing today. What is hilarious is a super majority of the comments are Anti-Kimmel.

Gary Middleton

TMZ is just rehashing the RS article as “BREAKING NEWS”.

Really, really hope Jay doesn’t take the bait. He should not be acknowledging Kimmel’s existence. But Jay has always thought of the monologue as a newspaper. The more Kimmel’s debut is treated as “news”, the more Jay’s writers will start feeding him lines about it, and the more Jay will think the audience wants and expects him to cover the story.

GARebelman

I don’t think he will. Stern bashes Jay constantly and never a peep about it.

Joe

Neal, Yes, I remember what Dave said to Oprah about Jay. Dave also says to Oprah that Jay is an insecure person. To everyone who is pro Leno here. I know Jay is funny. But are there any of you Leno or Kimmel fans who will admit that Letterman interviews better than Leno or Kimmel? Even Kimmel admits that his idol was and still is Letterman. This by the way was said at the Kennedy Honors last week.

Gary Middleton

“Stern bashes Jay constantly and never a peep about it.”

Astute comment, GAR, because I think Kimmel is very intentionally using the Stern playbook here. Stern would constantly bash a rival until they couldn’t help but comment, and then Stern would use those comments as material to create a cycle of ridicule and ultimately capitulation by the rival. Rosie, Chevy, John D’abella, and many others. The only one I can think of who never knelt before Stern in defeat is Leno, and that obviously has made Stern insanely angry and frustrated.

Kimmel, on the other hand, did manage to rope Jay this way in 2010 and is giving it his best shot again. We’ll see if Leno can avoid the trap this time.

kscottk11

Good interview by Charlie Rose speaking with David Letterman.

Dave telling Oprah that Jay is the most insecure man he has ever know.

Interesting!

Is Dave looking in mirror when he is saying this? I think he might be talking more about himself.

I do think that since Leno was fired and brought back to the Tonight Show, the lack of NBC executives support and direction, has given Leno some big insecurities.

As Letterman’s over thirty year late night career is starting to wind down, I think Dave might be getting a little self-reflective. I wonder if Dave has any regrets about the “childlike behavior” he used with the different Tonight Show transitions between Leno, himself, and Conan. I wonder if he had it to do over again, would he still have broadcast his show with the same “sour-grapes” attitude?